Apparatus for obtaining kaleidoscopic lighting effects



M. DUNHELL APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING KALEIDOSCOPIC LIGHTING EFFECTS Filed, June 11. 1926 Patented @um 7 192g.

ALFRED lDUNI-IILL, 0F LONDON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR OBTANNG- KALEIDOSCOPIC LtGrHTING EFFECTS.

Application filed June11, 1926, Serial No 115,224-, and nGreat Britain January 20, 19228.`

Apparatus for obtaining varying color lighting eili'ects for decorative and advertising purposes are` well known and my present invention relates to improvements in that class of apparatus oomprisng a casing or stand within which is mounted a rotating disc that is composed of a multiplicity ot glass sectors through which the light rays from an electric lamp are projected and emitted from an aperture formed in the top of thecasing over which a glass spherical globe or other object to be illuminated is stood so that as the disc is rotated varying'color rays are emitted due to the different sectors ot the disc coinciding with the apertme in the aforesaid casing. bviously by these means only a siquence of color rays are emitted or projected.

The present improvements have reference particularly to this class ot apparatus and for the purpose of obtaining a lzaleidoscopic, chromatic or ever varying color lighting ef tect ot the hollow translucent body placed over the aperture in the casing, instead of employing a single disc preferably three such discs are employed each of such discs being rotated at varying speeds so that by such means an ever changing or varying blending of the color rays are secured and most pleasing illuminating effects are obtainec 'lhe mechanism for effecting the rotation ot' the several discs, which may be two or more in number, that is to say no-t necessarily three as suggested above, may be ot the ordinary clockwork, spring motor driven or a small electric motor connected with suitable reduci gear whereby very slow rotation of the several concentrically superimposed discs at varying speeds may be obtained.

To still further improve the varying color lighting effect beneath or within the aforesaid spherical or other suitably shaped translucent globe may be placed over or upon the glazed aperture in the casing through which t-he light rays are emitted a glass sphere ot suitable size, a glass spheroidical body, prismatic lens or other suitably shaped glass body preferably with a hemispherical base that may be stationary or made to traverse across the glazed aperture aforesaid, whereby the colored light rays are so completely deiiected and diffused as to produce an extraordinary lighting eiiect ot' the whole of the translucent globe within which the glass sphere-idical body is housed, due to the rotation ot the discs as aforesaid.

order that my invention may be readily understood reference may now be had to the accompanying sheet of dra-wings in which Figure l is a cross sectional elevation of an apparatus of the type described with my improvements applied thereto. i

Figure 2 is a plan of Figure l showing the interior of the apparatus with the lid or cover of the casing removed.

Referring to the drawing, in which similar reference characters relate to like parts in both the figures, n. is the base. the lid or cover of the decorative case enc-losing the apparatus.

The mechanism consists of the spring motor c which drives through suitable reduction gearing (l the central standard or spindle c the motor being' governed by the Vane g and wound up by the removable Vhandle f in the ordina-ry manner.

lln the apparatus illustrated by way of eX- ample the improved mechanism consists of the three discs 71, z' and j independently mounted and rotatable upon the 4central spindle e.

he spur wheel 7c rotates the spindle m supported in a vertical position by the bracket n said spindle m carrying three spur wheels of different diameters apart from that meshing with the wheel 7c. These spur wheels respedtively mesh with the spur wheels 7L c" j which by means of hollow concentric bushes rotate the discs 7L z' and j. It will thus be seen that when the central spindle e rotates the spindle m and the discs 7L i and j are independently rotated at di fierent speeds whereby the frame'- work o'll the several discs containing the colored `glass segments are caused to pass over one another in a constantly changing manner thus emitting an ever changing colored light beam through the aperture p in the lid of the cover 7) due to the lamp o.

@ver the aperture p is placed a suitably shaped translucent globe f] indicated in dotted lines preferably spherical but may be of other shape and inside this globe may be placed a glass hemisphere r or a glass spheroidical body, prismatic lens or other suitably shaped glass body whereby the colored light rays are so diffused as to produce a very pleasing lighting effect of the translucent globe g due to the rotation of the discs as above described. 'lhe supplementary light diffusing element or glass body r instead of being stationary as shown may be caused to traverse the aperture 7? by any convenient means thus still further diffusing the light rays emitted.

The above description has been limited te what may bev termed portable vdecorative apparatus but it will be obvioustliat by suitable distribution of the said rotatable colored glass segments with or ,withoutthe glass hemisphere or glass splieroidieal body the appa.-

ratus may be employed for producing veryV therein, a series of concentric bushings nested one within the other on said spindle and li aving their ends in vertically7 spaced relation,

gearing connecting the spindle and respective bushings to cause the 'latter to revolve at different speeds from each other and troni the spindle, a series'of disks one ot which is fixed on the spindle to revolve therewith and the others of which are iXed on respective bushings to revolve therewith, said disks being each provided with a series of transparent dierently colored sectors, the disks being ot uniform diameters, a casing covering said disks and having an opening therein to one side of the axis of the spindle and beneath which said disks rotate, anda light source supported within the casing beneath said opening.

2. In a device ot the kind described, a niotor traine, a motor driven Spindle supported therein,- a series oi concentric bushings nested one within the other on said spindle and having their ends in vertically spaced relation, gearing connecting the spindle and respective bushing to canse the latter to revolve at dit- .terent speeds troni each other and troni they spindle, a. series ot disks one ot' which is ixed on the spindle to revolve therewith and the others ot which are fixed on respective bushings to revolve therewith, said disks being each provided with a series of transparent differently colored sectors, the disks being of uniform diameters, a casing covering said disks and having an opening therein to one side ot the axis of the spindle and beneath which said disks rotate, a light source snpported within the casing beneath said opening, and a light ditfnsing body of transparent material positioned on said casing immediately over the opening therein.

In testimony whereo't l atix mysignatnre.

ALFRED DNHI LL. 

